Chapter 527 They Could Surely Cross Paths Again
Three months later.
In the early morning, Sarah woke from a nightmare for what seemed like the hundredth time. She buried her face in her hands and let out a deep sigh.
100 days had passed.
During these days, she dreamt repeatedly of the terrible event—Antonio, in his attempt to save her, was grappled by Serene and plunged off the cliff into the blood-red waves.
Her already slender figure had become even more haggard, her shaking shoulders nearly revealing the shape of her bones.
Tears slipped through her fingers, creating damp circles on her covers.
"Antonio..." she murmured vacantly, hoping for an echo of some kind.
The haze of the past months left her scrambling to discern what was real and what was mere fantasy.
'Could it be that... the scenes in my dreams were false, and Antonio has simply gone on a business trip?' she thought. 'Perhaps, I might awaken to find he has returned one day.'
But deep down, Sarah knew these were mere delusions. This painful understanding felt like being trapped in a lightless room with no exit in sight.
She heaved another sigh and brushed away the tears.
Her gaze fell upon the slight bulge of her abdomen, and her expression softened. She was pregnant. It had happened that one forceful encounter at the race track with Antonio.
As much as she had detested Antonio then, she was grateful for the precious gift he had left her now. Since the accident, the growing life inside her had given her immeasurable strength, especially during the wakeful nights.
Sarah tenderly caressed her barely noticeable belly, the ring on her finger catching the light and sparkling brightly.
'If Antonio knew, he would surely be overjoyed, right?'
Just then, the door to the room swung open, and Harper walked in, clutching a teddy bear. She stopped short at the sight of her mother's tears, then, fighting back his own, she pretended not to notice and said, "Mommy, you can't sleep either?"
After the accident, they had all moved back to the Valencia family mansion.
The kids were heartbroken for a long time. Despite being abroad, Brian couldn't accept that his dad was just gone. He had been moving heaven and earth to orchestrate a sweeping search of the seas where his father had last been seen.
Unfortunately, it was to no avail.
Perhaps not finding him was the best outcome. It allowed Sarah to comfort herself with the possibility that maybe Antonio was out there somewhere, still alive.
With enough time, they could surely cross paths again.
The kids seemed to latch onto that hope, each of them toughening up and pushing through the pain to help their mom recover.
But Sarah just grew paler, her eyes redder, visibly withering away, which was heartbreaking to witness.
Turning away to wipe her tears, Sarah quickly composed herself and managed a weak smile. "Hey, why are you up so early? Hungry? I'll get up and fix you some breakfast. How's that?"
Saying so, she mustered the strength to climb out of bed.
"Can I help out, Mommy?" Harper had been sticking close to Sarah. "I can handle whatever you need, Mommy!"
"No help needed," Sarah assured, taking her hand and leading her downstairs. "Breakfast will be simple, done in a jiffy."
The mother and daughter reached the kitchen together.
Sarah tied her apron, rinsed her hands, and then splashed the cool water from her wet palms onto her face to refresh herself. Then, she began cooking.
Life went on for the living, and she couldn't let her children down.
Soon, dishes were served on the dining table.
"Harper, go and call everyone to eat," Sarah instructed.
Harper, who had been waiting by her side in the kitchen, immediately responded, "Okay, Mommy, I’ll get them!"
As Sarah watched her daughter’s retreating figure up the stairs, the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. It seemed like her children had grown so much in just three months.
She sighed softly, arranging the dishes and settings on the table.
Everything was ready; she took a sip of water from a glass.
When Kevin came down with the kids, he immediately noticed Sarah sitting by the table, lost in thought.
Hearing their approach, she turned somewhat blankly, then quickly regained her composure and called out to Kevin, "Dad, come have breakfast!"
Kevin gave her a look of concern, silently sighing in his heart, yet at a loss for comforting words.
After the accident, Kevin’s mind hadn’t been as clear as it once was, but thankfully, it hadn’t worsened.
He remembered Sarah was his daughter and that he had many lovely grandchildren, but his son-in-law... was gone forever.
The family took their seats, yet there was an empty seat beside Sarah. The place setting there was arranged perfectly, and the rice was already served.
That had been Antonio's usual spot.
Sarah had been setting his place for every meal these past three months as if he had never left them.
Everyone knew it but never spoke about it; their unspoken vigil for Antonio was a communal silence.
Today was no different.
They ate in a despondent silence, a somber cloud casting its pall over the entire home.
Sarah pretended everything was fine as if Antonio's fate was still unknown. Serving the children, she said, "I only made a few dishes today, and if your dad were to come back, there surely wouldn't be enough."
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